STRATEGYCOACHING 219
Bill Davidson
M
y group specializes in formulating and implementing enterprise strate-
gies.Enterprise strategies are integrated master plans that require fo-
cused and coordinated implementation across an entire organization over an
extended time period. Our efforts generally involve substantial changes in
core strategies and performance management systems; and trigger efforts to
create long-term IT architecture road maps, and new people strategies.
Typically, we work with a select set of senior executives to develop the en-
terprise imperative—the critical need for the organization to pull together
behind a common strategy. It can be very difficult to establish an enterprise
mind-set among an executive team. But we do not recommend proceeding
with any strategic change program until the senior team is of one mind and
one gut about the need for change. These executives are required to come to
the strategy council wearing an enterprise hat: that is, with the best interest
ofthe entire organization in the forefront of their minds. New goals, new
strategies, and specific projects follow from that team commitment.
Much of our coaching effort occurs on the field of play. That is, we use
the development and execution of the new strategy to reorient and fuse sen-
ior executives into a cohesive enterprise leadership team. Our framework,
summarized as AIM, READY and FIRE, both shapes and supports those
strategic change efforts. In the AIM phase, the senior team works together
to assess current corporate identity, both in strategic and organizational
terms. Considerable effort is devoted to real-time team building during this
phase. The AIM phase culminates in the definition of a preferred future
state, which serves as the beacon and destination for the development ofWilliam H. Davidson founded MESA Research, a man-
agement consulting firm acquired by Deloitte & Touche
in 1996. MESA’s clients have included over half of
the Fortune 100. He serves on the board of UTi World-
wide (UTIW), a fast-growing global logistics services
provider, and on several private company boards. An
active researcher and writer, he was acknowledged as
the most widely cited academic in the field of interna-
tional management during the 1985/1995 decade. His
book 2020 Vision(with Stan Davis) was selected as the
Best Business Book of the year by For t unein 1992. His latest book, Break-
through,was published in the fall of 2003. Bill can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] or by phone at (310) 375-0020. MESA’s web site is at
http://www.mesaresearchgroup.com.